New York Mets' Freddy Garcia again unimpressive against Tigers

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Freddy Garcia is not officially out of contention for the fifth spot in the Mets' starting rotation. But it has become increasingly difficult to imagine him on the team's Opening Day roster in three weeks.

Garcia was again unimpressive Friday, allowing two runs in 2 1/3 innings against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium.

His outing wasn't Tim Redding bad. It just didn't give the Mets any reason to think they could rely on him every five days this year. And that pretty much sums up Garcia's spring so far.

When asked how much progress he has made, Garcia said, "Velocity-wise, not much. But physcially, I feel good. That's important for me. I know at the end of spring training I'll be 100 percent, for sure."

If he makes it to the end of spring training.

Garcia knows he needs to show the Mets more than he has so far to earn a spot on the roster.

"That's baseball," he said. "If you don't produce, you'll be somewhere else. If you don't perform they way they want you to, you've got to take off."

Garcia gave up the runs on two hits and one walk.

Tigers shortstop Adam Everett hit a solo homer off him in the third inning, driving a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall.

Garcia's spring ERA now stands at 14.40.

None of the other candidates for the fifth spot in the rotation - Redding, Livan Hernandez and Jon Niese - have fared all that well. That, more than anything, is what has kept Garcia's name in the conversation.

But other candidates' mediocrity can only help Garcia so much.

"I'm not looking for them to do bad," he said. "If I don't perform, I don't have a chance. I don't worry about them. I have to worry about myself."